COIMBATORE: As the Aadhaar Enrolment Camp (AEC) initiated by the School Education Department last year has been stalled this academic year, lakhs of students at government schools across the state are unable to use Aadhaar-related services.
Official sources said the school education department allegedly did not renew its MoU with the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) as an agency empanelled by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), to carry out new Aadhaar enrolments and corrections for students in schools. When the programme was launched, the School Education Department had signed an MoU with ELCOT on the basis that it must be renewed every year, sources added.
A high school headmaster in Coimbatore told TNIE that School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi launched the scheme in Coimbatore on February 23, 2024.
"The department procured 770 Aadhaar enrolment machines from ELCOT, following which ELCOT agents visited schools to carry out new enrolments and corrections in students' Aadhaar cards. Students enrolled and received new Aadhaar cards, which they used to open bank accounts to receive scholarships. In addition, various corrections were carried out after verifying students' official documents. Additionally, the Mandatory Biometric Update (MBU) for children aged between 5 and 7, and for students aged between 15 and 17 at government schools, was carried out in schools last year," he said.
He added that it was useful for government school students, but no communication regarding the AEC has been conveyed to schools yet this year.
S Chandrasekhar, a functionary of the Palli Kalvi Paathukappu Iyakkam, told TNIE that Aadhaar-related services provided by ELCOT for government school students were free of cost.
"As the AEC is not being held in schools now, students are forced to approach the postal department for any corrections or updates, and spend Rs 100 for the same. In particular, 15 lakh government school students across the state have to complete the biometric update, and if AEC is not held in schools, students will be affected, and some students may fail to update their MBU," he said.
A top official in the School Education Department in Chennai told TNIE that ELCOT is expected to begin Aadhaar-related services in schools in October.